Chandigarh: As parties go full throttle in their campaigning for the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for June 1, the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat comprising the whole of the Union Territory is a seat to watch out for as it goes to the polls in the last phase. While the BJP has fielded Sanjay Tandon from the seat replacing incumbent MP Kirron Kher, senior Congress leader Manish Tiwari is the INDIA candidate for the seat.
Veteran Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, campaigned for party leader Tiwari in Chandigarh on Monday. In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, Baghel alleged that there is no development in Chandigarh Union Territory while attacking the PM Modi-led BJP government at the Centre.
"Baghel claimed that there was a “wave of change going on in the country during this Lok Sabha elections. Change is very important otherwise Modi's dictatorship will continue. There are talks by the BJP leaders of changing the country's constitution if they secure 400 seats, due to which the people of the country have become alert,” Baghel said.
“PM Modi has called the Congress manifesto the agenda of the Muslim League. Modi said that the mangalsutra of the women of the country would be snatched away, and then he also said that your buffalo would be taken away from you. The way PM Modi is talking, it is clear that he is talking nonsense and his mental condition is not good,” he alleged.
'Kangana Ranaut's Company has an Impact on the Prime Minister': Besides the PM, the former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also targeted the BJP candidate for Mandi Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut and her general knowledge (GK). “Kangana Ranaut says that the first Prime Minister of the country is Subhash Chandra Bose. Then Kangana says that the country became independent in 2014. I am surprised at Kangana Ranaut's general knowledge. When PM Modi visited Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, Kangana Ranaut shared the stage with him. It seems that Kangana Ranaut is influencing the Prime Minister because as soon as the Prime Minister left from there, the next day he gave the statement about 'Mujra',” he said.
There is no development in Chandigarh: Speaking about the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, Baghel said that the sitting BJP MP had failed to respect the people's mandate and failed to carry out the development works. “Congress candidate from Chandigarh Manish Tewari is a seasoned politician. If he wins, he will work for the people of Chandigarh,” he said.
Caste Certificates Not Being Issued in Chhattisgarh: Speaking on the issue of investigation of caste certificates in Chhattisgarh in the last five years, Bhupesh Baghel said that caste certificate was a “necessity for every student”. “Caste certificate is used in everything from education to employment,” he said. Baghel said that 32% of tribals live in Chhattisgarh besides 13% SCs and about 44% OBCs.
“In such a scenario, people of this class need caste certificates to avail themselves of government benefits. The new BJP government has stopped issuing caste certificates. People are complaining that they have been deprived of caste certificates due to which members of the SC, ST and OBCs will not be able to get the benefits of government schemes,” Baghel pointed out.
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